Turbine



F. L. MCGAHAN.

TURBINE. APPLICATIQN FILED DEC. e, 19119.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

El f1;

F. L. MCGAHAN. TuRl'NE. y APPLICATION FILED DEC. a. 191m 1,872,305. 'Patented Mar.`22,1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

FREDERICK L. McGill-IAN, OF LOS ANGELES, GALIFRNIA.

T'URBTNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

@riginal application iled (lcteber 14, 1918, Serial No. 258,127. Divided and this application filed, Decemimis, 191e.

To uit whom may concern:

lie it lrnoivn that l, FREDERICK L. Mo- (iai-ian, a'citizen oi the United States, residing at the city of Los Angeles, in the county or Les Angeles and State of Calii'ornia, have invented certain new and use lul. improvements in Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

This is a division of an application tiled by ine ctober 14, 1918 serially numbered 959,127, that issued as latent 1,391,427, on lleceinber 9, 1919.

This invention relates to a steam turbine of the radial impulse type, and is illustrated as applied to the auxiliary driving ofa locomotive engine, with the construction suitable flier such application by means of which more power derived for the said purpose and applied thereto, not only because of the use ol' the said turbine as part oi the driving mechanism but, also, because oi the ap plieation of the power through a plurality et turbines (where desired) and a plurality et Wheel groups, which results in greater `power being` exerted upon the train by the locomotive. All this is accomplished with an economy oi steam, not only because steam used more than once for power and after- Ward can be used for heating the train, but, also, because the herein-described mechanism enables the derivation oi power from steam of lower pressure than is now useful .io-r the purpose, whereby, as may be said, all the power el' the steam (instead oit, as noir, only part ol its power) is utilized. hieren Y this mechanism eliminates waste inl and objectionable gas, sniolre, sparks, and cinders by diawing` the saine out oi 'the lirehon and returningl the solid particles thereto lor further combustion. Other economies, advantages, and improvements will hereinafter appear.

ln the accompanying drawings :forming part ot this speciiication and in which like numbers oi? reference denote like parts Wherever they occur,

lfigure l is a side elevation of a quadruple di wen locomotive illustrating the application ol'i the steam turbine;

is a vertical section of the turbine tr-.lien on 'the line 2 2 in Fig. 3;

A 'l is a section taken on theline 3 3,

Serial No. 343,355.

liig. l is an enlargedplan vieW 0i thc governor;

Fig. is an elevation of the governor taken on the line 5 5, Fia. 4l;

1* ig. (i is an enlarged fraglnental sectional view around the rotor valves taken on the line 6 6, Fig. T;

li ig. l is an enlarged iraginental sectional rie'iv talieii on the line 7 7, Fig. G;

ii ig. 8 is a view taken on the line 9 8, Fig. 6;

liig. is a similar section like Fig. 2. illustrating a inodilied iorin of governor and rotor valves, taken on the line 9 9 Fics. J n i o 10, 11, and le;

Fig. 10 is a plan section, talren on the line 10 10, Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a plan section, taken on the line 11 11, liig. 9;

ig. is a p an section, taken on the line 1Q 12, Fig. 9;

Fig is an enlarged ri'igniental sectional riew around the inodiiied iforin oi): rotor valves, taken on the line 13 13, Fig. 15;

191g. 141 is a View talren on the line id lel, Fig. 15;

liig. lo is tional View, Fig. 13;

liig. 16 is a diagram, illustra-ting a development oit the circular cani, for tripping the valve levers;

Fig. 17 is a similar diagram;

18 is also a similar diagram;

liig. 19 is an enlarged view ot the gevernor gear segments;

29 is a iragnieiital sectional perspective oi' the ian;

liig, ill is a section on the line lira'. 1; and

Fig. 22 is a section on the line Fig. `l.

'.lhe locomotive 1 is provided with the customary driving-wheels -2 and forward trucleivheels 3. Driving-Wheels ffl are driven from cylinder 5 in the usual manner. lhe tender truck-Wheels are in tivo sets, one set being driven by the other. lhus it will be seen that a quadruple-drive is applied to the locomotive, the saine steam being used for an enlarged iiragniental sectaken on the line 15 15,

ainsi,

all, and may be afterward used for heating the train. By the system herein described a greater proportion of the energy of the steam is utilized for driving purposes than is attained in prior locomotives, so much so that this apparatus derives driving torce from the steam until the steam is reduced to only four or l'ive pounds pressure, after Which it may be used for heating, as above stated.

A turbine 6, which rotates the shaft 7, drives the truck-Wheels 8; and the'turbine 8 Which rotates the shaft 9, drives the truck- Wheels t. Both these turbines are of the `same construction, with the exception that turbine 8 has no fan or smoke pipe, as hereinafter described. The locomotive 1 is adapted to travel in either direction, Which is particularly truein vievv ot the location of one of the said turbines at each end thereof.

The smoke stack 10 will normally not be used, because of the draft ot smoke and cinders as hereinafter described and the return ot' the cinders to the tire-box 11 by an automatic screW-stolrer' (not. shown) and the mixture of the smoke with the steam in the turbine 6.

The initial superheated steam is conveyed from the boiler 12 throueh the manifold or divider 1S to and through the pipes 1e and 15 to both sides ol the locomotive and admitted-to cylinder and after said steam has been used in cylinder 5 to drive the piston rod 16 and thus the main driving-Wheels 2 in the customary manner, the steam exhausts from said cylinder 5 into the passages 17 and 18, leading to pipes 19. Said passages are conveniently connected to the intake pipes 19 of the turbine 6. Therefore the pony truck turbine 6 uses an intermediate pressure of'steazn, which is the exhaust from cylinder 5. This steam passes through pipe 19 and thence into the chamber 20 surrounding the revoluble rotor 21 having helical grooves in its surface adapted to receive trictional and impelling contact from the incoming steam, thereby deriving its rotary motion and driving shaft 7 which is connected to trucks 3.

The turbine 6 can be cut in or out by use of valves 22 and 23, which are operated from the cabs through reach-rods 24 by any convenient method.

Having thus energized the turbine 6, the steam passes through exhaust pipes 25 to energize turbine 8, the said pipes 25 being located on each side ofthe locomotive 1. The rotary motion of rotor 21 rotates shaft 9,*Which thereby drives truck-Wheels 4, the righthand set of which in Fig. 1 is driven from the letthand set in the said figures, by

.any convenient method. Driving of the said Wheels may be accomplished in any other suitable manner, as, for instance, by

beveled gears, auniversal shaft, or the like.

It should be understood that the action of turbine 8 on shaft 9 and trucks l is the same as that of turbine G on shaft 7 and trucks 3, With the exception that truck-wheels l are a double set as compared with truckwheels 8.

Each rotor 21 is of substantially the same construction and mounted and connected in substantially the same manner. Upon the support 26 above the trucks is fastened a ball-race 27, which bears the bottom of the rotor 2S.

The fan 29 has a hub 90 lixed to the shalt 'T having a plurality ot cups 91 adapted to connect to the flange 3st.

The cups 91 open in the direction toward which they rotate, tending to torce the iutake. The shape Within each cup diverts the air from its direction ivhen admitted to a direction approximately at an angle ot il() degrees thereto.

Fan 29 draws hot air, smoke and cindersl through pipes 30 from the top oit the lirebox 11, into the hollow chamber 5() ol the rotor 21, and thereby the steam that enter:`V chamber 2O through pipes 19 is reheated or superheated, because the hot tiamcs and gases heat the metal of the rotor 2l thereby reheating and drying the exhaust steam from the cylinders 5. ai'ter the said steam enters the chamber 20. A ball race 2T coilierates With a groove in the bottom 2S ot rotor 2L and a groove in supports 26 and 31, also, a ball race 32` cooperates with groove 33 in the tiange 3l ot the ta 29, and a groove lfi in the rotor housing` 36, thereby allowing the rotor 21' to rot-ate freely as impelled by the action of the steam admitted through pipes upon the helical grooves 37. and. thereby rotating shaft 7, to which is ixed the said rotor 21. After the steam has passed through the chamber 20 of the helical grooves 37, it then passes into the chamber 3S ot the support 2G and thence through pipe 25 to turbine S.

The steam passes through the pipe 25 along each side of the locomotive 1 to a vertical portion of the pipe 25 at 39 and through this portion of the pipe to the continuation oi pipe 25 numbered as shown in Fig. 1 at 40.

The object of this vertical pipe 30 is to provide means of separation of the steam from the Water, e7. c., to take the humidity out of the steam Which is actuated by gravity, the ivater dropping to the bottom ot the T 41 and flowing to a filtering mechanism 42.

This turbine 8 may be run independent o.

lli

engine is standing still and turbine 8 is desired to run for the making oi electricitya pumping air, or seine other reason, hy turning; oil steam trein pipe fl@ and cutting in high pressure steam 'from pipe i3 this ohject can he accomplished. After the steam has passed through the turbine 8 in its specilie operation it enters a radiator or condenser el? through which it passes and emerges as Water. The Water then passes through pipe in a filter 112, Where it is freed :from the last traces ot holler stale,

residue, and grit, then 'flowing through pipe lo to the Water-tank i6 of the tender and thence is pumped hack into the boiler as distilled water, hy auf,T common pump as shown at 49.

liuel. preli'erahly pulverized, is normally lied into the lire-hex ll, through nozzles ll", hv aanv nieehanical stoler (not shown in the drawings). The smoke, soot. cinders, and the like are drawn into the turhine (l through the pipe 30, 'from the tire-hoi; ll, hy the suction Caused h v the fan 29, and are drawn through the said tan into the chainhrr 50 et the rotor 21.

` :litter the sinolre has heen drawn into the chaniher 50 h v action of fan 29 (which also draivs the cinders and sparks nlrorn the tirehoX, this. or smoke-pipe steam admitted into the said chamber through as many valve orifices 5l as will properlyY condense said smoken sparks, cinders. and soot h v its heinp; rapidly revolved and ehurned therein. so than after its exit trein turhine C. saine naar he discharged through a stoher hach into the tire-hoi: il.

Piston compression hlades 72 are helical in torni and ina;7 he o'l': any desired pitch. Said blades 72 are held against the highlyv ground surface ot the rotor housing 36 at 723 h v means ot flat zigzag' springs Tl? said springs Pl heine` tempered to hold hlades 72 in a fixed position against the said sur- :lface 73.

The opening ot valves is accomplished through a tlyhall governor,havinga halls 53 ou the end ot a hell cranl lever 54, pivot ally holted to the flange. 55 hy means ol a holt 56, and having` on the short arm o'lI the hell-crank 5ft, a eain 57 which hy means oli a groove 58 and a roll 59 raises the sleeve 6th to which fixed the cani Wheel huh 6l et the cain lllhen the `governor halls 5B expand hy centrifugal torce, tension is caused on the springs ll, and as the helheranh oel heggins to rotate :nien-nd the pivot holt 5G. the cani with the n"roove 5S tends to rotate about t is said pivot 5G, ande the lever :il: heinel seein-ed to the flange 55 the sleeve. 6C) tends to ride ingnvarn over the shaft 7 ot the turhine 6.

The sleeve 60 has fixed thereto a cani G2 `plate lll adapted to open and close the ori lice The cani lj? nia)T have one or more offsets 7l, .as shown 1n Figs. 1th l?,v and 18, and

fhese otl'setii 7l can he tinled for rests and trippings ot the valve lever 67, as the conditions noaa,Y warrant.

rl"he offset position ot a valve is shown in dotted lines ot llig. (l.

rlhe path olf the steam is indicated hy arrows in Figs. 2 and El, and, as shown, the steam passes through an open valve, while the other tvvo valves are closed;` illustratinLi` that one valve may he opened While the other remains closed.

rllhe steam, in its predetermined path, and the smoke pass through the openings 'T5 hctvfeen the rihs 7G. llihs 7G are adapted to the huh 77, and the bottoni oi the rotor 29, and the sinole and `rases pass into the Chaniher Td oli the support and thence into the pipe "F9, alter which the mixture ot smoke. st anu, sparks. and soot is carried h v steam pressant1 and lan action to lthe stolter, to he reliurued in the fire hox ll.

(ln the rotor housing 3G, is secured h v holts @L the rap plate S0, having; a center huh d2, in which the shaft T rotates; and. at the hottoni or smaller diameter' ot the rotor housing 26, is a lf-lange Sil, which is secured to the support 2G hgv means ot' holts lill.

(ln the end ot the shatt l", there is lined a Worin 8h and a Worin Wheel S6, hut it is evident that hevel roars spiral gears, spur nears, and the like, could he used as well as those shown with a shaflft 87 tilted to the driven nieiuher 8G, which shaft .mayv he the axle ot the Wheels 3 ln F' E). a inodilied 'torni oit governor is illustrated havinn4 halls 5th hell-crank lever F34. llanpje holt pivots 56. gear ments 57, teeth 58, gear segments 59a sleeve 60. und springs lVhen the eentritugg'al force as applied to the halls, heroines so great as to spread the halls. shown in lig. 1L in dotted lines, then, gear sepaiient olf nieves rear segment turning; sleeve 6th over the shalit T of turhine (l. @hatt 7 has a helical `groove 88, in which the roller or iup; S9 ot the sleeve 60 plays7 ridinpT upward and carrying' sleeve (l0 with it as hereinhetore specified.

The action ot the Cam 62 and valve levers G7 are precisely the saine as hereinhefore de- The cam Wheel scribed, with the eXception that valve plate a may be of a rectangular shape, covering the orifice 5l and overlapping the bushing 66, as is clearly shown.

One object of the turbine 5 and the vacuum fan 29 is to create a draft from and through the fire-box, taking by suction any back pressure from the cylinders 5 and the piston blades 72 of turbine 6, giving the same condition that is caused by the jet condenser in the well-known stationary engine. A furthe-r object is to draw all smoke, cinders, and sparks through the vacuum fan 29 and to keep a more even draft, just the necessary draft to create and regulate a perfect blaze, in the lire-box and through the flues of the locomotive` lt will be understood by locomotive drivers and engineers that after the superheated steam has passed through the ordinary high pressure cylinders, the steam will have lost only a comparatively small percentage olf its mean effective pressure, so that when the steam enters the grooves on the turbine (instead of exhausting into the open air te create a draft), which grooves are helical for two-thirds of the circumference of the said turbine, said steam exerts suliicient force to insure powerful rotation of the said turbine.

1t will be understood hat the interior of the shell of the turbines inclosing the rotor 2l is ground or otherwise formed perfectly smooth, so that the piston blades 72 will form a tight fit and wear evenly, while serving perfectly to control the steam. Any such contacting parts of the apparatus will be made of a suitable bronze alloy hardened with vanadium, so as to give a goed wearing surface with the steel surface of the said shell.

rllhe tender turbine 8 equipped with a fan 29 may be so run while the locomotive is standing still as to blow powdered fuel into the fire-box, instead of the said powdered fuel being drawn thereinto, as hereinbefore described.

A locomotive constructed and opera-ted as hereinbefore described will excel in etliciency and effect a saving of at least onehalf of the fuel and one-half of the water and will do away with smoke in cities and sparks that set lire to elds, fences, and buildings along the right-of-way, which, also, obviates sparks and smoke flowing back over the train and inconveniencing the train crew and passengers and obstructing their view.

The locomotive herein described will give all the power for pulling a train that is ordinarily derived from a double or tripleheader, thus economizing,because of there being but one locomotive with only its own weight.

There is a distinct advantage in power in applying driving power to wheels located along an increased trackage. illhile the ordinary locomotive drives only by its driving wheels, this locomotive docs not discard that ordinary form of driving, but adds to it driving the pony trucks at the extreme front of the locomotive and the two sets of tender trucks at the rear end of the combined and connected tender and locomotive. This separate driving increases the pulling power of the engine. A great advantage is acquired5 also, b v the superheating of the steam in the interior of the turbine rotor 2l (chamber 50) of the locomotive turbine (l, due to the draft thereinto by the adjacent fans 2f) ot the hot air direct from the lire-- bor; through pipes 30.

These features may all be adapted lo :in v locomotive now in existence and one or more of the turbines may be applied by utilizing an additional set of driving` trucks on either end of the locomotive. and thus using only the exhaust steam to drive the same.

Almost three times the power will be derived from a locomotive constructed as herein described from the use of the same amount of steam in an ordinary ipiresent-day locomotive. By this construction, the hcavy and tedious work of the fireman will be abolished, assistance to the engineer, such as watching the track and preventing accidents from misplaced switches or obstructions or stock upon the roadway.

lThe turbine 8 may or may not have a fan 29.

ll'vhile the turbines are herein illustrated and described as utilized in connection with a .locomotive engine, they can be used in other situations, in which event water or steam may be used as the motive power.

Having thus described this invention. it is obvious that many minor changes in (he form, arrangement and order of parts and their materials and mode of construction ma v be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the jfollowing claims.

l claim:

1.. in a turbine, the combination of a stationary hollow member having steam pipes leading thereinto, a rotary conical member having helical grooves, grooved partitions` between each of the said grooves, spring pressed abutments in the grooves in each of the said partitions, and a shaft driven by the rotation of the said inner rotatable member 2. A turbine having 1n its surface a plurality of helical grooves, grooved partitions between the said grooves, helical abutments within the said last mentioned grooves` a container, and springs adapted to keep the said abutments in contact with the walls of the said container.

3. ln a turbine, the combination of a leaving him free to render other coni al container, a conical rotary member therein having helical grooves, helical partitions on the said rotary member and between the said grooves, the said partitions cmitaining each a helical groove, a helical abutment Within tl e said helical groove, and a spring adapted to hold each ot the said abutments in contact iv ith the ivall oi the said container.

Ll. A turbine comprising an outer shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a shaft with which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapted to slide upon said shait, levers in pivotal. connection with the said member and also with the said valves and adapted to move in opposite directions according tothe direction oit movement ot the said member, and a governor connected to the said member and adapted to vmove it in alternate directions, the said governor being lined to the said shatt. s

5. A turbine comprising an outer shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a sha'lt With which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapted to slide upon said shalt, levers in pivotal connection with the said member and also with the said valves and adapted to move in opposite directions according to the direction oi movement oi the said member, and a governor connected to the said member and adapted to move it in alternate directions, he said governor being fined to the said shaft, and cam tripping devices for actuating the said valves.

(i. A turbine comprising an outer shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a shatt with which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapted to slide upon said shaft, levers in pivotal connection ivith the said member and also With the said valves and adapted to move in opposite directions according to the direction ot movement oit the said member, and a governor connected to the said member and adapted to move it in alternate directions, the said governor being hired to the said shalt, and cam tripping devices 'for actuatiing the said valves, the said cam devices being located Within the said rotor and extending troni approximatel)T one side ot its Wall to the opposite side and there being a grooved sleeve slidable upon the iid sha/tt in the groove oit which the said member is held.

i il turbine comprising an outer shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a shatt with which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapted to slide upon said shai't, levers in pivotal connection with the said member and also with the said valves and adapted. to moi/e in opm openings controlled by them in the Wall of fthe said rotor.

8. A turbine comprising an outer shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a shalt with which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapted to slide upon said shaft, levers in pivotal connection With the said member and also with the said valves and adapted to move in opposite directions according to the direction ot' movement oi the said member, and a governor connected to the said member and adapted to move it in alternate directions, the said governor being fixed to the said shaft, the said valves being pivoted in the openings controlled bythem in the Wallet the said rotor, the said openings containing bushings in Which the said valves arepivoted. 4

9. A turbine comprising an outer'shell, an inner rotor, the said rotor having openings therethrough, valves controlling the said openings, a shaft with which the said rotor is adapted to rotate, a member adapt-ed to slide upon said shat't, levers in pivotal connection ivith the said member and also with the said valves and adapted to move in opposite directions according to the direction oit movement of the said member, and a governor connected to the said member and adapted to move it in alternate directions, the said governor being fixed to the said shaft, the said valves being pivoted in the openings controlled by them in the Wall of the said rotor, the said openings con.- taining bushings in which the said valves are pivoted, and the said governor comprising a pair ot liv-balls, a lever bearing thc said balls, a ilange to which the said lever is attached, the said flange being the means ot attachment ot the said governor to the said shatt and the opposite end oi the said lever having gear-teeth, there being geartceth upon the above-mentioned member adapted to be actuated by the gear-teeth upon the said lever,

l0. A turbine comprising an outer shell, a rotor Within. said shell, an expansion chamber between said rotor and shell, means for admitting fluid into said expansion chamberI to act upon said rotor for rotating the latter, said rotor having a passage therethrough, means for admitting heated fluid through said passage in the rotor, and valve controlled ports'in said rotor connecting the expansion chamber With the passage in the rotor.

il.. .A turbine comprising a shell, a :rotor Y rotatably mounted in the shell, an expansion chamber between the rotor and the shell, and means for admitting fluid under pressure to said chamber for actuating the rotor, said chamber having an exhaust opening, said rotor having a passage therethrough, means for admitting heated fluids through said passage, said rotor having a series of ports therein connecting said expansion chamber and said passage, valves for controlling said ports, and means controlled by the rotation of said rotor for operating said valves.

l2. A turbine comprising a shell, a rotor rotatably mounted in the shell, an expansion chamber between the rotor and the shell, means for admitting fluid under pressure to said chamber for actuating the rotor, said chamber having'an exhaust opening, said Lrotor having a passage therethrough, means for admitting heated fluids through said passage, said rotor havnga series of ports therein connecting said expansion chamber and said passage, valves for controlling said ports, andmeans controlled by the operation of the rotor for openingsaid valves successively according to the increasing speed of the rotor.

13. A turbine comprising a shell, a rotor Within the shell and having a passage therethrough, a shaft in said passage and fixed to said rotor to rotate therewith, an expansion chamber between said rotor and shell, means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber whereby said rotor is rotated, said chamber having an exhaust opening, means for forcing heated fluid through said passage in the rotor, means on said shaft for agitating said fluid in said passage, said rotor having a series of ports therein connecting said expansion chamber and said passage, valves for controllingsaid ports, and means controlled by the rotation of said rotor for operating said valves.

14. A turbinev comprising a shell, a hollow rotor rotatably mounted in the shell, an expansion chamber between said rotor and shell, means at one end of the shell for admitting fluid under pressure into the chamber, said chamber having an exhaust opening at the other end of the shell, spirally arranged vanes on the periphery of the rotor to be acted on by said fluid pressure whereby the rotor is actuated, means at one end of the rotor for forcing heated fluid therethrough, said rotor having a series of ports therein extending longiturlinally thereof, valves for controlling said ports, and a speed governor actuated by said rotor for successively operating said valves.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alllx my signature.

FREDERICK L. MCGAHAN. 

